Nepal: I believe UK and India will halt recruiting Gorkha soldiers

Suresh Ale Magar

Leader Nepal Unified Maoist Party

Suresh Ale Magar, a prominent leader of Unified Maoist party is also a member of Committee for International Relations and Human Rights in Nepal’s parliament. The Committee has recently endorsed a policy paper entitled 'Nepal’s Foreign Policy in Changed Context', which apart from offering suggestions on foreign policy also seeks an end of Nepali soldiers fighting wars under foreign flags.

Gorkha Sainik, a vernacular magazine has published and interviewed Mr. Magar about the endorsed paper. We found it appropriate to reproduce it in our online portal and its print version for the larger interest of the Nepali population.

We are very thankful to the Gorkha Sainik magazine: Chief Editor.

 TQ1. Why the committee referred/suggested the government to stop recruiting of the Gurkhas in the national army of any other country?

Magar: We haven't said that recruitment of Gurkhas in foreign army should immediately come to a halt.  However, this tradition is principally not in favor of the Nepalese people. To work as an army under the flag of other nation doesn't sound good. Therefore, we have urged the government to halt the recruitment by making necessary arrangement of employment opportunities for the youths of our country.

Nepalese youths are being recruited in national armies of other countries since more than 200 years ago. I do not see any logic on why should we continue this humiliating tradition? Nepal is facing severe loss politically, culturally, administratively, educationally and diplomatically due to such recruitment. As far as the financial benefits from the recruitment is concerned, what I would like to add is that this such an income which is destroying career of the children of the Lahure (those who recruit their teens as the soldiers of foreign countries) rather than making their life happier. A handful of tall buildings may have been erected from those incomes; however, their children have been victimized by the abuse of drug. The hard earned money of Gurkhas by shedding blood for others is being of no benefit for Nepal. Lahures are gradually settling inside UK, and hence their income has become useless for our national economy. Analyzing all these circumstances, the committee has urged to halt recruiting Gurkhas. But let me repeat that we haven't asked the government to stop it immediately. First, the state has to set yardstick and should stop this tradition which is both ugly and humiliating one.

TQ2. Do you think Gurkha recruitment in UK and India army will be stopped by the will of Nepal only? Do you think it is possible?

Magar: It should be possible. For this, the state should present itself in strong manner. At personal level, I further believe that UK and India will eventually stop recruiting soldiers from Nepal. Nationalist sentiment is gradually becoming pervasive among Nepali population and unemployment problem is becoming a burning issue in UK and India. The general public of UK and India are also voicing against recruitment of Gurkhas in their national army which, they feel, is gulping their domestic employment opportunities. These countries are deciding to cut the number of their army and in this circumstances, I foresee that the recruitment of Gurkhas will eventually be closed down.

TQ3. Why the youths from indigenous communities of Nepal were/are only recruited/recruiting in the national army of other countries? Don’t you smell rat over such a selective recruitment?

Magar: This tradition was initiated in a treacherous manner to wipe out indigenous community from Nepal. The then Nepali rulers were biased. They had send youths from indigenous community and wished their likely death during the war. During the then Rana regime, autocratic Brahmin state was in existence in Kathmandu. The rulers hadn't sent youths from Brahmin and Chhetri community to work as the mercenaries in foreign army.

TQ4. Thousands of Nepali youths have offered their lives while fighting under the flag of other nation. Can't Nepal claim compensation for such a horrendous loss?

Magar: Nepal can and should make such a claim forcefully. If the state is sincere and sensitive towards the security of its citizens, it must make such a claim. Such claim is not only just but logical also. The Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen’s organization (GAESO) is making such claims and some positive developments has been observed in this regard. It is the result of the sole attempt of GAESO. Government of Nepal has done nothing for this. The state of Nepal is weak. State is still in the firm grip of Brahmin community. The grievances of the indigenous communities have not become a matter of concern for the ruling Brahmin elites. If the Brahmins or Chhetris had faced this problem, the state would have already tried its best to end this tradition.

TQ5. You have accused Brahmin leaders for not voicing for stopping Gurkhas recruitment. You are also a national leader from indigenous community, then why you are still not voicing against the grievances of your community?

Magar: A single community is in the power corridor of Kathmandu, where as people from other community are being victimized by the state. This is why the state is very reluctant to address the grievances of people from indigenous community. If the people from the community of ruling elite might have faced such problem, the state would have struggle against. This is the real problem. Thanks Gorkha Sainik magazine: ED.

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I agree

Comments

  • Posted on - 2012-10-06    by     amol virk
  • "you might be their fathers but we are their officers"" these lines are borowed from a british army officer who expressed this on leaving india 1947, YOU HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MILITARY AND MARTIAL TRADITIONS NEED A DIFFERENT BLOOD TO UNDERSTAND, THE BLOOD THESE POLITICIANS ARE NOT BORN WITH. INDIA HAS HAD GORKHA PALTANS FOR AGES AND UNEMPLOYMENT IN INDIA ALSO HAS BEEN FOR AGES BUT WE AS A NATIONS DID NOT SUBSTITUTE GORKHAS WITH ANY OTHER CLAN TO PROVIDE US WITH EMPLOYMENT AVENUES, SECONDLY IT WILL BE RIDICULOUS TO ASSUME THAT INDIA CANNOT PRODUCE HARDENED, DISCIPLINED AND BRAVE MEN AND HAS TO ASK NEPAL FOR IT, RECENT KARGIL WAR HAD ONLY TWO GORKHA UNITS PARTICIPATING AMONGST OVER 20 UNITS IN ACTION , GENTLEMEN PLEASE STUDY AND GET FACTS RIGHT WE INDIANS AND THE ARMY TREATS GORKHAS AS ANYONE ELSE OF ANY OTHER PALTAN NO GORKHA UNIT IS SENT INTO ACTION OUT OF TURN::"!ITS EQUAL FOR ALL. WHEN WE ASK FOR GORKHAS WE ONLY MEAN TO PRESERVE OUR TRADITION THAT INCLUDES SIKHS,GORKHAS,NAGAS,JATS, MARATHAS DOGRAS AND MANY MORE WHO MAKE THE VERY FABRIC OF OUR ARMY! REST IT ALL DEPENDS ON NEPALESE GOVT: PLAYING INTO CHINESE HANDS.... WILL GO THE TIBET'S WAY. LOOK OUT AND RECOGNISE YOUR TRUE FRIENDS AND THEY are certainly not the CHINESE!!"
  • Posted on - 2012-07-09    by     Janvi
  • I think all the people who bring baje and boju just for money(which they get for being old) sholud be the one to blame.They bring old baje and boju here and let them explore the place alone.In here, most of the people are still struggling financially and working all day and all night.Truthfully they can't give enough care for their parents and just look at the weather,UK has winter almost throughout the year which is vey hard to adapt for old people who had been living in Nepal for long time or wholelife.What good are they doing by bringing baje and bojus here rather that filling their bank with baje boju ko bhattaa(money).Since UK is so different from where they grew up,their sons and daughters sholud be responsible to give them some informations like peeing in front of the pubic is a big NO NO and all sorts of stuffs like that.Bajes and bojus are helpless.When people become old, they become like a children so their kids are responsible for giving information and telling them what is right or what is wrong.I don't blame baje bojus, I blame their kids.
  • Posted on - 2012-06-24    by     Commits don't know history
  • Gurkhas, like every other community in this world have the right to choose their destiny. They have the right to decide their children's future just like any other parent in Nepal. If they choose to serve and maintain a tradition, so be it. They have always been respected in India, UK and Singapore for their loyalty to the flag and professionalism. These are professional armies that recruit volunteers not the rag tag red army that fools people in the 21st century to fight their own brethren in the name of Karl Marx and Mao. UK, Indian and Singapore are not at war with Nepal? They are not ordering killing or maiming Nepalese citizens, the communists in Nepal are; and that's the truth. So, Mr.Magar, please don't think the Gurkhas need your advice, they are intelligent people who are doing fine for themselves and their children.
  • Posted on - 2012-06-06    by     xxx
  • what a pity for this guy who is answering the questions...if he's got any brains then i would shit in the fan in front of this very hillarious guy...any way a hillariously thought process brought in front ...why don;t these buggers go back 200 years ago and change the bravery of those people who fought for glory not for politics and money..since we don;t want to go 200 years back...why don't these people let choose us our freedom whether we die fighting for our own glory or our flag's glory...these people who call themselves fighting for people doesnot have any authority in asking any fricking nepalese to eat and shit....we have always been the way we were and please mr suresh ale i don;t fucking care what's inside your mind but please if you want to change the way we were and the way our blood is ...i would rather come in your kitchen and shit in your plate ...just want to say that don;t dilute politics in any individual nepalese blood ...m not saying this to you not you are ale magar or what else ...do you have any inda which century are you living in....i wonder your 10 years in prison have made mental illusion of 200 years back ....try to be good man first and then a good politician
  • Posted on - 2012-06-06    by     QGE
  • May people like the following song! GURKHAS ko pasina sanga sateko dhan tyo IMANDARI thiyo, jaha Sansar kai RAJA MAHARAJA ra Dhana Dhanea MALIK haruko Jiu dhankai SECURITY ma samarpit sabddale sajieko pani huna sakcha! Muluk Nepal ra Nepali ko Jai-hosh.
  • Posted on - 2012-06-02    by     Ex-Servicemen
  • LAHORE and LAHURE: ... ... ... "lahure aaja ghar farkyo soonko bala kamai, kanchi lai beaya garna deshko eajaat badhai" ... ... ... .
  • Posted on - 2012-05-28    by     Rajan
  • Blaming Bahuns for each and every problem has become a simple scapegoat for the Janajati leaders and subsequently the Janajati people.Ranas were ruling-Bahuns discriminated,how?King Mahendra was ruling-Bahuns discriminated,how?After 2046, Bahuns/chhetris ruled but Janajatis were also in important positions. What did those Janajatis do for you guys?Isn't it a naive ignorance to blame a particular caste for every problem that Janajatis have been facing?Time to analyse nicely and then put blame on the rightful persons/groups.Don't you think so,guys?
  • Posted on - 2012-05-26    by     GURKHAS FROM NEPAL
  • NEPALI mato ma janmiear British ko JHANDA muni Prajatantra udaai dina GURKHAS haru lade yo sansar kai lagi, ajhai laddai chhan. Tara, tehi Prajatantra ko hanga samater Nepal ko Pradhan Mantri le Gurkhas lai chinna sakena! Bholi Nepal mulukle sodhne chha. Where is the Nepalese born GURKHAS?
  • Posted on - 2012-05-24    by     GURKHAS
  • WELDONE! Truth must be prevail and ... .
  • Posted on - 2012-05-24    by     Amit
  • Millions of Gurkhas are Indian citizens. We don't need to hire from another country, when we can give job to our own people who will be more loyal to our country.
  • Posted on - 2012-05-22    by     Raj & Ganga
  • Who and Where is the honest man of Nepal? Searching ... ... into the Nepalese society.
  • Posted on - 2012-05-22    by     Gurash Devi Gurung
  • English PROVERB: Give me a good mother, I will give you a good nation. Thank you
  • Posted on - 2012-05-16    by     David in London
  • This guy has no sense of history and the pride and fame and fortune brought by the Gurkhas to Nepal. It was Gurkha recruitment that helped maintain Nepalese independence and sovereignty. To think that Maoists are going to create jobs for Nepal's youth is another populist dream being sold to them which by now nobody believes. Yes, Ale Magar is mighty dumb.
  • Posted on - 2012-05-16    by     Patriot
  • Nepali aamaka saput choraharule birana thauharuma gaear bagaeako ragat pasina tesai kher gaean. San 1923 ma Angrejharule Nepalka RANA sasakharusit sandhi garna uchit thane. Tyo sandhi gareara pahilo palta Nepalko swadhinta ra sarbhomikta lai aupocharik manyeta pardan gare. Partham biswo uddhama aatma balidan garne GURKHA Nepaliharule aafno MATRI BHUMI lai chadhaeko sabai bhanda thulo upahaar yesailai mannu parcha.
  • Posted on - 2012-05-14    by     nepal
  • Mr. Suresh, if u don’t know the history then don’t make full of yourself. U leaders are rotten.
  • Posted on - 2012-05-13    by     British Gurkha Nepal
  • NEPAL ... '200 years the British Gurkha Nepal history must be decorated on the submit of the Mt Everest' ... NEPAL
  • Posted on - 2012-05-13    by     AM Grg
  • One of Good historical Nepalese song: ... biratako chino birko santaan sahidko ragat lahureko nissani, aba timro haatle lekhnu chha jugle bhuleko hamro kahani ... Late N. Gopal
  • Posted on - 2012-05-13    by     Akal Man Gurung
  • NEPAL: Wherever you go and whatever you do, you are Nepalese soil's born GURKHAS. They will remember generation to generation around this beautiful WORLD. But, never forget just three things in your LIFE. Your honesty, your discipline and your faithfulness. This is the your winning assets.
  • Posted on - 2012-05-12    by     Agam Rai
  • Dumb thoughts of a Dumb! Serving in British and Indian Army initiated by then elite Ranas,Chhetris, Rai-Limbus,Gurungs and Magars themselves and later on some preferred Indian Army and some the British. This is being means of livelyhood irrespective of any particular cast or community. And one more thing such Dumbs should know is that every Nepali living in Nepal is a Indigenous Nepali. In the past all communities of Nepal contributed in the Unification process initiated by our Great King PN Shah and as a result we are living in Nepal as Nepali people otherwise we would we would have been Bhariyas and Kullies of Bihar and UP. See the misery of Indian Gurkhas mainly in Darjeeling and North East, misery of Bhutani Gurkhas, misery of Kashmiri and Laddakh people, misery of Tibetan people and think the difference between having State and State-less people.
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